A gas turbine engine generally includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air enters an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel mixes with the compressed air and burns within the combustion section, thereby creating combustion gases. The combustion gases flow from the combustion section through a hot gas path defined within the turbine section and then exit the turbine section via the exhaust section.
In particular configurations, the turbine section includes, in serial flow order, a high pressure (HP) turbine and a low pressure (LP) turbine. The HP and the LP turbines each include one or more turbine blades that extract kinetic energy and/or thermal energy from the combustion gases flowing therethrough. Each turbine blade typically includes a turbine shroud, which forms a ring or enclosure around the turbine blade. That is, each turbine shroud is positioned radially outward from and circumferentially encloses each corresponding turbine blade. In this respect, each turbine blade and each corresponding turbine shroud form a gap therebetween.
The components defining the hot gas path, such as the turbine shrouds, may be constructed a ceramic matrix composite material or another material capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to the hot combustion gases. The components positioned radially outward from the hot gas path, such as the turbine shroud mounts, typically experience lower temperatures than the components along the hot gas path. In this respect, these components may be constructed from suitable metallic materials.
Conventional retention systems typically used in gas turbine engines to radially and/or circumferentially couple components in gas turbine engines constructed from disparate materials (e.g., a ceramic matrix composite turbine shroud and a metallic turbine shroud mount) include numerous components. For example, such systems may include complex arrangements of pins and/or springs. This results in increased assembly time and cost when constructing the gas turbine. Accordingly, a retention assembly for radially and/or circumferentially coupling stationary components of a gas turbine engine having a reduced part count would be welcomed in the technology.